Executive Chef at Luxury Senior Living

Description

Position Summary

The Executive Chef plays a key leadership role in delivering an exceptional culinary and dining experience for residents and guests. This position is responsible for overseeing all culinary operations, including menu development, food preparation, kitchen management, purchasing, budgeting, and sanitation standards, while maintaining the highest levels of food quality, nutritional value, and presentation.

The ideal candidate is a passionate and experienced culinary leader with strong creativity, organizational skills, and a commitment to culinary excellence. This individual leads by example, inspires culinary team members, and creates memorable dining experiences while maintaining operational efficiency, food safety, and resident satisfaction.

Essential Job Duties

Culinary Operations & Menu Development

• •Oversee daily culinary operations for all community dining venues, resident meal services, and special events, ensuring consistent food quality, presentation, and service standards.
• •Develop and implement creative, seasonal, and nutritionally balanced menus that reflect resident preferences, dietary needs, and culinary trends.
• •Oversee food preparation and production for Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Health Center dining services, as applicable.
• •Develop, implement, and maintain standardized recipes, menu specifications, portion sizes, and food presentation standards.
• •Ensure meals meet established nutritional requirements, dietary restrictions, and special dietary needs in collaboration with appropriate clinical and dining team members.
• •Maintain consistent food quality, taste, presentation, and appropriate serving temperatures throughout meal service.
• •Participate in hands-on food preparation and cooking, including working on the line as needed to support kitchen operations.
• •Oversee culinary preparation and execution for special events, holiday celebrations, private dining, and community functions.
• •Collaborate with Dining Services leadership to ensure a seamless and exceptional dining experience for residents and guests.
• •Engage with residents to gather feedback, understand preferences, and identify opportunities to enhance the dining experience.

Team Leadership & Development

• •Lead, supervise, train, and support culinary team members across all shifts to maintain high standards of food quality, professionalism, and teamwork.
• •Oversee employee scheduling, staffing, daily work assignments, performance evaluations, coaching, and professional development.
• •Participate in recruiting, hiring, onboarding, counseling, and employee performance management in accordance with company policies.
• •Provide hands-on culinary training, staff education, and mentorship to ensure consistent food preparation, sanitation, and service standards.
• •Assign daily responsibilities and conduct routine quality checks to ensure kitchen operations meet established expectations.
• •Foster a positive, collaborative, and hospitality-focused kitchen environment that encourages accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• •Collaborate with other department leaders to ensure efficient operations and exceptional service throughout the community.

Kitchen Management & Financial Oversight

• •Develop and manage culinary budgets, monitor food costs, and implement effective cost-control measures without compromising food quality or resident satisfaction.
• •Oversee food purchasing, vendor selection, vendor relationships, inventory management, and product ordering.
• •Establish and maintain appropriate inventory par levels to ensure adequate supplies while minimizing waste and unnecessary expenses.
• •Monitor food usage, portion control, purchasing trends, and production efficiency to improve operational performance.
• •Ensure proper receiving, storage, labeling, rotation, and handling of food products and kitchen supplies.
• •Maintain accurate operational records, including menus served, meal counts, purchasing records, inventory reports, production schedules, and other required documentation.
• •Inspect kitchen equipment regularly, identify maintenance or repair needs, and coordinate with Plant Operations to ensure equipment remains safe and operational.
• •Ensure kitchen work areas, storage spaces, and equipment are properly maintained, organized, and adequately stocked.
• •Review operational reports and identify opportunities to improve productivity, cost efficiency, and resident satisfaction.

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• •Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local food safety, sanitation, health department, and workplace safety regulations.
• •Maintain culinary operations in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements and prepare the department for health inspections, surveys, and audits.
• •Ensure culinary team members receive appropriate training in food safety, sanitation, infection prevention, emergency procedures, and safe work practices.
• •Oversee proper food handling, preparation, cooking, cooling, storage, and service procedures.
• •Monitor and document food temperatures, sanitation logs, and other required food safety records.
• •Maintain high standards of kitchen cleanliness, personal hygiene, sanitation, and proper use of cleaning chemicals.
• •Ensure culinary staff follow established emergency preparedness procedures, safety protocols, and company policies.
• •Identify and address food safety concerns promptly, implementing corrective actions when necessary.
• •Participate in leadership meetings, required training, and community events.
• •Perform other duties as assigned to support Culinary Services and overall community operations.

Compensation & Benefits

Eligible for quarterly performance-based bonuses tied to established goals and performance metrics.

Requirements

Qualifications

• •Minimum of five (5) years of experience as an Executive Chef or Sous Chef in a hotel, restaurant, club, senior living community, or similar culinary environment required.
• •Culinary degree or certificate from an accredited culinary institution preferred.
• •Postsecondary coursework in Restaurant Management, Nutrition, Culinary Arts, or related field preferred.
• •Current ServSafe Manager Certification required.
• •Strong knowledge of culinary techniques, menu planning, food preparation, standardized recipes, and presentation standards.
• •Experience developing menus that accommodate dietary restrictions, food allergies, and specialized nutritional needs.
• •Demonstrated ability to lead, train, and motivate culinary teams while maintaining high standards of quality, safety, and service.
• •Strong financial management skills with experience in food cost control, budgeting, purchasing, and inventory management.
• •Knowledge of applicable food safety, sanitation, and health department regulations.
• •Strong mathematical skills with an understanding of measurements, conversions, portion control, and recipe scaling.
• •Excellent organizational, time-management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• •Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally with residents, families, team members, and vendors.
• •Ability to work collaboratively with Dining Services and other community departments.
• •Proficiency in basic computer applications, inventory systems, and culinary management software preferred.
• •Ability to operate commercial kitchen equipment safely and efficiently.
• •Must maintain a flexible schedule based on community needs, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and special events.

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

• •Ability to stand and walk for extended periods, potentially up to 85% of the workday.
• •Ability to frequently bend, stoop, reach, twist, push, and pull while performing culinary responsibilities.
• •Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds independently.
• •Manual dexterity and coordination necessa